Islamabad Bar Association through its President, Islamabad Bar-District
This matter comes before the Supreme Court of Pakistan upon a petition involving the unauthorized construction of lawyers' chambers and court structures on public land designated as a football ground and park in Sector F-8, Islamabad. The core legal question concerns the encroachment of public parks and recreational spaces by professional bodies and judicial structures. The Supreme Court disposed of the petition based on the undertaking given by the petitioner's counsel that the illegal structures and chambers constructed on the football ground and park would be vacated within two months. Furthermore, the Court directed the Capital Development Authority and District Administration to demolish all illegal buildings upon vacation, ordered the Registrar of the Islamabad High Court to ensure the removal of court structures and their relocation to proper premises, and mandated compliance reports from both the petitioner's counsel and the High Court Registrar. The key principle laid down is that public amenities such as parks and playgrounds must be protected from encroachment and illegal constructions, and unauthorized structures thereon must be promptly removed and restored to their original public use.
- Can unauthorized structures constructed by lawyers and courts on public land designated for a football ground and park be ordered to be removed?
- What is the procedure for clearing illegal constructions and restoring public parks to their original use in Islamabad?
- Whether an undertaking given by counsel to vacate encroached public land within a specified timeframe binds the association.
ORDER
GULZAR AHMED, HCJ.--- At the outset, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner . undertake that in Sector F-8, Islamabad, plot/land of football ground/park on which some lawyers have cons tructed their chambers will be vacated by them within two months' time, whereupon the Capital Development Authority , Islamabad and the District Administration, Islamabad Capital Territory , will be free to demolish all constructions i.e. all illegal buildings/structures on the land of the said football ground/park, clear the same and restore it for which the said land is meant for i.e. football ground/park.
2. We are informed that some structure of the Courts have also been erected on the land of football ground/park and if that be so, the Registrar of the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad shall imme diately ensure that such land is vacated, Court's structures removed and the Courts are shifted to proper regular premises. In this regard, the Registrar of the High Court shall submit a compliance report to the Registrar of the Court within a period of one week.
3. Let a compliance report be also filed by the learned counsel for the petitioner to the Registrar of this Court in two months' time.
4. The petition is disposed of. revisions by the competent authorities. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the official sources or legal professionals for the most up-to-date and accurate information.